tepetl (Mdz13r)

tepetl (Mdz13r)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This element for hill or mountain (tepetl) has been carved from the compound sign for the place name, Tecpatepec. We removed the flint knives (tecpatl) from the top of the mountain. What remains is the typical two-tone green bell shape and the usual rocky outcroppings on the left and right slopes, with the horizontal red and yellow stripes at the base. The red line wraps around the yellow line at each end, following the curve of the bell shape.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The rocky outcroppings on the left and right slopes provide a phonetic clue ("te") that this glyph is meant to be read "tepetl." Of course, mountains also typically have rocks. Regarding the yellow and red horizontal stripes, please see the article on Interiors.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Date of Manuscript: 

c. 1541, but by 1553 at the latest

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Keywords: 

mountains, hills, montañas, cerros, altepetl, stones, piedras, rocks, rocas

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 
Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el cerro o la montaña

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 
Image Source, Rights: 

The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, hold the original manuscript, the MS. Arch. Selden. A. 1. This image is published here under the UK Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0).